Meghan McDermott

When it comes to your interview, make sure you dress to impress as yourself. Be sure to outwardly reflect your personality. You can do so by incorporating a conversational piece into your wardrobe such as a family heirloom jewelry piece or that hidden gem vintage Chanel bag you scored rifling through thrift shops in the Village.

Another key? Arrive 10 minutes early with a warm smile and your trusty kit in hand including unfolded copies of your resume, cover letter, portfolio and business cards. You will be perceived as prepared, proactive and timely all in one first impression. Be prepared to inform and persuade and ask questions about the company, position and internship program. Follow up the interview with a handwritten thank you note the next day.

Now let’s review the most important aspects of landing your dream internship in fashion…

1. Do the research; review all sorts of websites dedicated to NYC internships.

The semester is coming to a close, and while most of us are eager to enjoy a few months of nothing but sunshine and relaxation, why not add something constructive into the mix? A summer internship allows you to make use of your free time without monopolizing it so much that you feel robbed of a break. There are a ton of internships you can find that require a 3 day minimum commitment. So 3 out of 7 days per week allows you 4 days of complete freedom!

There are tons of websites that you can check out that will provide options you’re on the hunt for. Head over to FreeFashionInternships.com or SummerInternships.com to start accessing listings for companies from fashion design to fashion PR, to fashion magazines and more. Just prep your cover letter and have your resume ready for when you come across your ideal listing.

Once you’ve submitted your cover letter and resume be sure to follow up within a week to a week-and-a-half to ensure they received your submission. This will show how eager, dedicated and passionate you are about the position and may even speed up their decision process. But be sure not to be pushy or invasive. Be calm, professional and relaxed in your tone and delivery. Keep in mind, there actually is such a thing as too friendly and overly eager.

1. Come visit! Contact the Admissions Office to set up an appointment to visit our campus. Once you experience the college first-hand, you will instantly want to attend. I know that when I visited the buildings in midtown Manhattan for the first time, I was sold.

2. Get acquainted with students and alumni! Like the LIM College Facebook page for updates from students, alumni and prospective students. It can be a great way to find friends with common interests before you even arrive at our school, or even a way to find a roommate.

3. Look carefully at our website! It has a great deal of very vital and useful information, as it should. Don’t forget to take the time to scroll through all of the course descriptions, the student blogs, the videos and articles.

4. Look into our majors, the course schedules and their descriptions. Being aware of the courses that you want to take and that are available to you can really make your time here much more enjoyable. Take the time to go through each major in depth (Fashion Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, & Management if you’re an undergraduate) and as soon as you start classes here, meet with an advisor to get down to what you truly want to focus on as soon as possible. This will make the rest of the process and your years studying fashion and business here at LIM that much more efficient and successful!

5. Sign up for New Student Orientation. It’s full of exciting New York City events and sessions that will introduce you to the city, our school and your fellow fashion students. It is a great way to get a sneak peak as to what it will be like here before your very first week.

The 69th annual LIM College fashion show took place April 12 at Roseland Ballroom. The edgy glam theme completely embodied what REBELution was all about - bringing the inner rock star out of all of our personal styles and allowing everyone’s personality to shine through with a good dose of flair.

Each of the 30 models rocked the runway with studded hats to complement their leather and tutus, or voluminous hairstyles standing on end with dip-dyed strands cascading down each model’s embellished, denim-vested shoulders. I was extremely impressed with the show and believe that each person who put time into this event deserves a round of applause. The whole theme really captured the audience’s attention and interest; from our beautiful student models to a brilliant DJ mix that brought cohesion to the entire experience.

Of course, the Visual Club had the chance to display the structure we have been working on for weeks. Morgan Walsh designed the structure as a 3D representation of our school logo constructed from PVC pipe and plexi-glass. We gathered products and pieces that rang true to the glam-rock theme, including microphones, tiaras, old records, skulls, crystals, guitars and more, to really capture what we perceived REBELution to be.

Each letter was a specific color, so the products were distributed evenly and then painted to fit their letter’s identifier. The 6-foot structure stood beside the DJ booth and was illuminated during the show for all to see.

The fashion show went off without a hitch and everyone who was there did their part to make it quite an impressive night to remember.

Were you at REBELution? What was your favorite element of the show? If you couldn’t be there, check out the video below to gain a little insight as to what went on!

VISUAL CLUB update! The LIM College Fashion Show, REBELution, will be in full effect this Friday, April 12 at Roseland Ballroom. The theme is punk rock meets glam and the Visual Club is all over the theme with an installation that is guaranteed to hold your gaze and capture your full attention.

While we really look forward to letting the unveiling of this be a total surprise, just know that it will be the perfect balance of LIM College and a rock-glam edge.

Purchase your tickets online ASAP. A portion of the sales will benefit the LIM Fashion Education Foundation. LIM College students with ID $10, students with ID $15, general admission $20 and VIP Party/Show $35.

Spring is here. As a fashion school student in NYC, you may be on a tight budget, but there are plenty of fun and free things to do! Below are 5 of my favorites.

1. Manhattenhenge! May 30/31 & July 11/12 – 8:25PMFour times a year the sun will perfectly align with Manhattan’s grid. As it sets, both sides of every street will be illuminated. Get your instagram ready!

2. NYC 8th Citywide Pillow Fight! April 6 – 3PMHead over to Washington Square Park with your fluffiest pillows this Saturday! While the feather ones are discouraged due to the mess, I’d just say go for it. Not only will you and your friends have a blast, but the pillows will be donated to homeless organizations so it’s a win-win.

3. Central Park Stroll!Spend a Saturday roaming around the wonderland that is Central Park. You can really get lost in its beauty, so bring a friend, have a picnic and make it a weekend adventure.

4. Hester Street Fair! Every Saturday from May to October – 10AM to 6PMThe city is filled with street fairs once the warm weather starts to open up. This little fair features jewelry, clothing, accessories and more from over 50 vendors.

5. Free Yoga! All of May – 9:30 to 11AMGrab a mat and some friends then head over to Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for a free yoga session with some gorgeous scenery and fresh air.

As you all know, or SHOULD know, the 69th Annual LIM Fashion Show is April 12! This year the show is called “Rebelution” and will take place at 7 pm at Roseland Ballroom. With a name like REBELution it is safe to say that this event will be completely innovative - equal parts sophistication, grunge and glamour; come by the show and embrace your inner rockstar.

The Visual Club is currently working on a display to showcase the classic LIM motif with a sophisticated yet edgy twist to it. I don’t want to reveal too much, so that the end result is a total surprise. But I can tell you that we’ve been working with lots of glitter, jewels, Barbies, musical instruments and of course, our school colors.

The Visual Club has been working away to construct something that you have not seen yet, and we’re sure it will be quite memorable. There is a great deal of craftsmanship and detail in the creation of this display, so it will definitely be eye-catching.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I intern with an international indie arts organization called RAW Natural Born Artists. This organization allows the RAW team to present a collective event showcasing about 40 artists in the fields of photography, hair, make up, film, fashion, music and more.

I was lucky enough to showcase my accessories line, Trash & Treasure, at our official re-launch this past Thursday at Public Assembly in Williamsburg. I created a pop-up shop that showcased cohesion between my passions for visual merchandising and designing handmade accessories. Business is now booming, with new clients as well as extremely promising business opportunities in the near future.

I was thrilled and humbled by the incredible feedback throughout the night and in the days that followed. It’s truly inspiring to realize that not only friends and family, but complete strangers, can support and recognize your passion, work ethic and drive. All of the contributive insight and wise wishes have influenced me to chase my dreams wholeheartedly and truly replenished my realization that you are never too young or old to live inside your imagination with full hopes of making it your reality. We are never inferior to the pursuit of success and living out our wildest aspirations.

Never, ever give up on what gets you out of bed in the morning and has you eager for the future. Cultivate your dreams and manifest them in your daily life because this is what living is about. Look where your feet are; if you take each step with full confidence in who you are and where you wish to go then you’re already on the right track.

Talk about a showcase! Anna Sui’s runway show for New York Fashion Week opened to a complete bandstand feel -- with mod hair and classic makeup to boot.

Eclectic A-line prints varied from vibrant checkerboards to tight-knit boucle. Draped in patterned garments that fell to the knee, this collection of monochromatic hues and autumnal jewel tones represented a new touch on the 60’s greatest hits.

A variety of bibs adorned nearly every garment, be it embellished and structured or velvet scalloping. Haute metallics and innovatively patterned tights complemented headpieces, oversized vests and fitted pants galore.

Channeling 60’s maven Edie Sedgwick in the classic Factory Girl, models strutted down the runway with quilted handbags dangling on their forearms and a cigarette daintily resting between their fingertips. Chunky sunburst pendants cascaded from clavicle to mid-stomach, reflecting the light in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Anna Sui pushed the envelope as she incorporated a very streamlined and futuristic style of sunglasses into this vintage aesthetic. A very sleek pair with a thin profile that grazed the horizon of each models brows brought a semblance of new-age to classically inspired styles.

Calling all fashion connoisseurs to the tents of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. New York Fashion Week is the name, immersing yourself entirely into fashion is the game.

I remember volunteering at just about any fashion show I could land as a freshman. Now, I have the opportunity to check out a couple of shows at Milk and Lincoln Center as a junior this year. New York Fashion Week always brings back the magic of this beautiful city and it’s style.

One of my favorites so far has been New York City menswear designer Patrik Ervell. With menswear it’s all about small variations to classic pieces, and through this presentation Patrik Ervell did a wonderful job at capturing cohesion with a modern twist on classic staples with a very sleek and innovative touch. The majority of his inspiration clearly derived from nature, with a color palette of copious forest green and similar yet deeper hues. The color story, combined with such sleek pieces, created a sinister mood.

On Wednesday I’ll be heading over to Lincoln Center to check out what Anna Sui has in store for us all. I’ll be sure to report back next week, so stay tuned!